Seaming machine



H. E. HAWES SEAMING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed Aug. 14 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 A? W 0L? u Mw M //0F/75y5 April 3, 1934. E HAWES 1,953,650

SEAMNG MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1950 8 Sheets-Shes?I 5 H. E. HAWES SEAMING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed Aug. 14, 1930 8'Shee'bS-Sheet 4 H. E. HAWES SEAMING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed Aug. 14, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 WM m ya. hw

/M 2RM@ W M70/wij@ April 3, 1934. H E. HAWES 1,953,650

'SEAMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 fa ll\illm E April 3, 1934. H. 4E. HAwEs 1,953,650

SEAMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jal-T y 20 #4M MQW? W @www AWM/My?- Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE SEAMING MACHINE Application August 14, 1930, Serial No. 475,277

21 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel seam structure and to a method of and a seaming machine for producing the same.

Y One of the principal objects of the present in vention is to provide a at seam structure especially designed for use in hosiery although also adapted for other uses and applications. The seam is of such a character as to approximate in structure the result of a looping operation, allO though it is far more easily and much more speedily produced. Due to its flat formation and to other qualities of its structure the seam renders the garment in which it is embodied far more comfortable to the wearer in addition to improvl5 ing the appearance of the garment.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a seaming machine for producing a seam of this character and to so constitute the seaming machine that it is comparatively simple as well as durable in construction, reliable, speedy and efficient in operation, easily operated and controlled, and adapted to b-e manufactured at a comparatively slight expense.

In carrying out the present invention, the edges of the fabric to be seamed are fed through the stitch forming mechanism with a step by step motion. The stitch forming mechanism consists of two needles oppositely arranged and alternately actuated, one needle being disposed to operate on one edge only of the fabric and the other on the other edge only. Each needle penetrates its edge of the fabric from the inside and forms a loop on the outside of its edge of theY fabric. The loop so formed is picked up by a transfer hook or looper and carried across the edges of the fabric and into the path of the other needle so that the other needle will carry its loop through the loop on the transfer hook or looper. In this way the needle loops are intertwined or interlocked and the resulting seam, when the fabric is attened is disposed largely between the edges of the fabric and approximates the union between portions of fabric effected by a looping operation.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one construction embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective View on an enlarged scale showing the needles, loopers and adjacent parts of the machine;

Figure 3 is aview in transverse vertical section taken approximately in the plane of line 3 3 of Figure 1 with parts shown in elevation for the 60 sake of illustration;

Figure 4 is a View in longitudinal vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away and parts being shown in elevation for the sake of illustration;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on 70 line 6-6 of Figure 3 and illustrating the construction of the feeding mechanism;

Figure 7 is a group View in perspective showing parts of the feeding mechanism;

Figure 8 is a group View in perspective illus- 75 trating the looper and parts of its mounting prior to assembly;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View on a large scale showing the seam structure;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view partly in 80' section and partly in elevation and illustrating how each needle penetrates one of the edges of the garment being seamed;

Figure 1l is a detail sectional view on line 11-11 of Figure 3; 85

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic View in elevation showing the operating mechanism for one of the needles;

Figure 13 is a similar view in elevation showing the operating mechanism for the other needle;

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic View in elevation showing the operating mechanism for the looper;

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic View partly in top plan and partly in section showing the elements of the operating mechanism for the looper effec- 9'5 tive to rock the looper in a. horizontal plane, the parts being shown in the phase of the operation in which the looper starts back to pick up the needle loop, the cam being shown spaced from its roller for the sake of illustration;

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 but showing the parts in the position they assume just after the looper has picked up the needle loop;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary View partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section and illustrating the looper as positioned when it is just about to cast off a loop, the distance of the looper from the fabric being exaggerated for thesake of clearness in illustration; 110

' 2, 8, 20 and 21).

Figure 18 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating how the looper picks up the needle loop;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary View in side elevation illustrating the phase of the operation just following that shown in Figure 18 and wherein the needle has retracted and the looper is beginning to move upwardly;

Figure 20 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on line 2li-2G of Figure 21 and showing the construction of the bill or hooked end of the looper;

Figure 2l is a similar View taken on line 21-21 of Figure 20; and

Figure 22 is a diagrammatic development of the cam employed for rocking the looper in a horizontal plane.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures l to 3 inclusive, the numeral 1 designates generally a casing or frame having a bracket 2 projecting outwardly from one of its walls adjacent its upper end. In bearings provided in the bracket 2, rock shafts 3 and 4 are fitted, the ends of the shafts projecting beyond the sides of the bracket (see also Figure 11). Collars 6 and 7 are secured to the vshafts 3 and 4 at one end to Vprevent axial movement of the shafts in one direction. At the opposite ends of the shafts rock arms 9 and 10 are adjustably supported and secured by means of clamping screws or other similar fastening devices 11 which coact with slots 12 in the arms. The rock arms 9 and 10 are spaced slightly from each other axially of their shafts and at their outer ends carry oppositely directed needles designated at 13 and 14. As clearly shown in the drawings, the needles are positioned to operate in between an uncurling attachment designated generally at U and a fabric feeding mechanism designated generally at F and due to their mounting, their curved formation and their manner of operation and also due to the mode of handling the fabric being seamed, each needle penetrates only one edge of the fabric as illustrated in Figure 10.

Operating movement is imparted to the needles by alternately oscillating the shafts 3 and 4 and thereby correspondingly oscillating the rock arms 9 and 1G which carry the needles. For this purpose, needle cams 15 and 16 are xed on a main cam shaft 17 (see Figures 3, 4, 5, 12 and 13) and act respectively on rollers 18 and 18 which are tted in the appropriately shaped cam ways or grooves provided in the side faces of the cams 15 and 16. These rollers 13 and 18' are carried by the lower laterally extended ends of cam levers 19 and 20 fulcruined on a fixed shaft 21 and having ball and socket connections 22 with the rearward ends of connecting rods 23 and 24. The forward ends of these connecting rods have ball and socket or other suitable connections 25 with crank arms 27 and 28, respectively. The crank arm 27 may be formed integral with collar 6 of shaft 3 and thereby fixed to the shaft 3 while crank arm 28 has a hub portion tted on and secured to shaft 4. The cam-ways in the needle cams 15 and 16 are shaped and designed and relatively disposed so as to first oscillate one needle while the other needle remains stationary and then, while the needle rst oscillated remains in a state of rest, to oscillate the other needle, this operation being repeated with great rapidity.

Coacting with the needles is a looper designated generally at 30 and having a hooked end 31 formed with an undercut bill 30 (see Figures The shank 32 of the looper is secured in the forward end of a carrier bar 33 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement and for rocking movement in both a horizontal and vertical plane and operating through a suitable opening 33 provided in the front wall of the casing 1.

One mode of effecting this mounting of the looper bar is illustrated to advantage in Figures 3, 4, 8, 14, 15 and 16. In the construction illustrated, the looper bar 33 is provided with a longitudinal slot 34 which receives the flattened head 35 of a pivot pin 36, the head 35 being a sliding nt in the slot 34. For preventing the bar 33 from dropping olf of the head 35, a holding plate 37 is provided and is of such size as to overlap the margins of the slot 34 and is secured by screws or the like to the head 35. The pin 36 is rotatably fitted in a pivot bearing 38 provided in a mounting block 39 and is supported in position in its bearing by means of a washer 40 secured by a screw 41 to the upper end of the pivot pin, the washer being of such sise as to overlap the upper end of the bearing 38. The block 39 is itself supported for rocking movement about a horizontal axis and in a vertical plane by means of laterally extended bearings 42 formed integral with the block 39 and receiving supporting trunnions 43 fixed on the frame or casing 1 and projecting into the bearings 42.

With this mounting the looper bar may slide along the head 35, or may rock in a horizontal plane since the pivot pin 36 is free to turn, or may rock in a vertical plane due to the pivotal mounting of the block 39.

For imparting rocking movement in a vertical plane and about a horizontal axis to the looper a crank arm 45 is secured to one of the bearings 42 of the mounting block 39 and has a laterally extending roller 46 at its lower end which engages in a cam-way 47 of a cam 48, the cam 48 being fixed to the cam shaft 17 (compare Figures 3, 4, 5 and 14).

For rocking the looper in a horizontal plane and about the vertical axis of the pivot pin 36 the rearward end of the looper bar 33 is connected by a ball and socket joint 49 to a link 50 which has its opposite end universally connected as at 51 to the upper end of a cam lever 52. The lever 52 is fulcrumed or pivotally supported at its lower end on the casing 1 as indicated at 53 and intermediate its ends the lever 52 carries a roller 54 which rides on a cam surface 55 shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 as formed on a flange 55 projecting laterally from one side of the periphery of the cam 15. A spring 56 acts on the lever 52 to hold the roller engaged with the cam surface Obviously the spring may be omitted and the roller 54 positioned to engage in a cam groove formed in the periphery of cam 15 or in the periphery of a flange on said cam similar to but thicker than flange 55.

For the purpose of Sliding the looper back and forth an intermediate portion of the looper bar 33 is provided with a laterally extending stud 60 which is fitted in a horizontal sleeve 61 of a connecting sleeve arrangement designated generally at 62 and comprising the sleeve 61 and a second angularly disposed sleeve 63 which is a sliding and pivotal fit on the rounded upper end 64 of a cam lever 64 (see Figures 4 and 8 and dotted line shown in Figure 3). The cam lever 64 has a bearing 65 at its lower end secured to a rockable pivot shaft 66 and intermediate its ends this lever 64 is provided with a laterally extending roller 67 which is received in a camway 68 formed in one of the lateral faces of the cam 89 pinned or otherwise suitably xed to the cam shaft 17.

Any suitable type f motor or power means is '5 provided for rotating the cam shaft 17 and is indicated diagrammatically in Figure 4 at 70.

An uncurling attachment which is largely of conventional construction is straightening out the edges of the fabric as the fic fabric is fed to the needles. In general construction, this uncurling attachment is substantially the same as that shown in the patent to L. Onderdonk, 1,282,458, granted October 22, 1918, and comprises a central bar and uncurling plates "15 76 and 77 (see Figure 2). The only essential departures in construction in this uncurling attachment over the conventional uncurling attachment are in the thickess of the lower end of the central bar and in the formation of extensions 78 '2c on the plates 76 and 77, the extensions projecting in the direction of the feed and toward the sewing point whereby to aid in holding the edge of the fabric in position. Above these extensions the uncurling attachment is cut away or so formed as to afford clearance for the looper. Normally,'these central bars terminate at their lower ends in a thin web but in the present instance the lower end of the central bar is of substantial thickness so as to spread or space the T. edges of the fabric to the extent illustrated in Figures 2, 10, 17 and 18. The purpose of this is to so position the edges that one of the needles may penetrate one edge only andthe other needle the other edge only. After the edges of the fabric i are uncurled or flattened out they come under the action of the needles and looper and the seam is formed.

The fabric is fed through the uncurling attachment and past the sewing point by an inter- 210 'j mittent feed device F and is supported in the intervals when released by the intermittent feed device by means of a supporting finger S carried by a bracket S secured to a projecting part of the frame 1 and projecting in between but just 'slightly above the edges of the fabric and beneath the stitches formed thereon by the needles.

The intermittent feed device is shown to advantage in Figures 1 to 3, 6 and 7 and comprises a pair of fabric gripping jaws designated at 80 .53"1 and 81 and carried on oscillating feed levers 82 and 83. The oscillating feed levers 82 and 83 are fulcrumed for their oscillating feeding movement intermediate their ends and are also pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends for a'movement toward and away from each other and consequently for movement into and out of grip ping engagement with the fabric.

In carrying out these purposes intermediate portions of the levers have integral lateral pro- 6 jections designated at S51-and 85, the projection 84 being slotted and the projection 85 being a free working fit in the slot of the projection 84. The interfitted projections are interconnected by r, means of a pivot pin 86, the ends of which ext Vtend into openings provided therefor in a rockable bearing sleeve 87 supported for rocking movement in a cylindrical bearing bracket 88 integral with or rigidly connected to the frame 1 7C. -and having a detachable front plate 88 to permit of assembly. The bracket 88 has its upper and lower portions formed with diametrically opposite slots 89 which are sufficiently larger than the oscillating feed lever 82 to permit it to partake of its feeding and return movements.

employed for` The lower ends of the oscillating feed levers 82 and 83 are adapted to cooperate with operating mechanism which imparts feeding movement to the levers and also movement of the levers toward and away from each other. To this end, the lower ends of thelevers 82 and 88 are enlarged as indicated at 90 and 91 and are provided with elongated and flanged openings 92 and 93 which receive a cam 94 fixed to a driven cam shaft 95, the cam shaft 95 extending through the openings 92 and 93. The cam shaft 95 also carries disc-shaped cams 96 and 97 and the faces of these cams 96 and 97 adjacent the levers 82 and 83 have cam-like projections 96 and 97 engageable with cooperable cam-like projections 82 and 83 on the lower ends of the levers 82 and 83. The upper ends of the feed levers 82 and 83 are biased to move toward each other and into gripping engagement with the fabric by means of an expansible coil spring 98 interposed o5 between the lower portions of the levers and supported on a bolt 99 which is so interfitted with the levers as to permit them to oscillate relative to each other and yet is supported in position to maintain the spring 98 in proper position.

The cam shaft 95 extends into the casing or frame 1, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3, and at its inner end has a worm wheel 109 xed thereto and meshing with a worm 101 fixed to a countershaft 102 and journaled in the casing and 105 driven by reduction gearing 183 and 19e from the main cam shaft 17. The reduction gearing 103, 104 and the worm gearing 100, 101 and the cams 94, 96 and 97 are so designed as to synchronize the motions of the feeding mechanism with the motions of the looper and needles or stitch forming mechanism.

In order that the threads which are supplied to the needles 13 and le may be appropriately tensioned and loosened in different phases of the operation, these threads which are designated at T and T are extended down through guides 105, (see Figure 1) thence through tension devices 106 to guide fingers designated at 107, 108 and 109. The guide fingers 107, 198 and 109 are arranged tc straddle tension regulating cams 110 and 111 fixed on an end of the cam shaft 17 that projects beyond the casing.

The thread T after leaving the tension device 106 is extended down along the outside of the guide finger 107 and then transversely and inwardly through an opening 112 therein, across the face or edge of the cam 110 and through an opposed opening 113 in the guide finger 108. After passing through the opening 118, the thread T extends outwardly for a short distance and is then passed back through an opening 11e in an extension 115 provided on the guide finger 108 and is extended up along the extension 115 and through the operture of a lateral guide lug 116 formed at the outer end of the extension 115. Leaving the guide lug 115 the thread T is passed through a curved guide tube 117 and through an apertured guide boss 10 on rock arm 10 (see Figure 2) and is finally carried to and threaded through the eye of the point of the needle 14.

The thread T', after leaving its tensioning device 106 is extended down along the guide finger 109 and through an opening 118 in an intermediate portion thereof, thence outwardly across the edge or periphery of the cam lil, through an opening 119 in the finger 108, back up along the finger 108 to an opening 120 formed in the guide finger 108 adjacent the hub 121 common to the guide fingers, and thence through a guide 150 tube 122 and through an apertured guide boss on rock arm 9 to the eye of the needle 13.

The hub 120 of the guide fingers is shiftably or adjustably mounted on a stud shaft 125 but its mounting is frictional or otherwise so constituted that the fingers are releasably held in'adjusted position. With this arrangement the run t of the thread I and a run t of the thread T are subjected to the influence of the cams 110 and 111 respectively. These cams are designed so as to tighten the thread during and after the formation of the stitch and during the carrying of a loop across the edges of the fabric and to loosen the thread when the looper takes it and when the thread is dropped ofi of the looper as will more clearly appear in the description of the operation.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the seam is formed by causing one needle, for example, the needle 14, to penetrate one of the edges of the fabric and form a needle loop. The first needle loop so formed is picked up by the looper 30 and during and after the needle is retracted is carried upwardly across the edges of the fabric and then downwardly until the top of 4 the bill of the looper lies just below and approxilooper then moves to the right and in towards the fabric as shown in Figure 17 and is preparing to reverse its motion and move to the left as shown in Figure 17 to complete the casting off of its loop and leave the loop so cast off and designated at Z encircling the needle 14 and its needle loop Z', as shown in Figure 18. Following this operation, the needle 14 is retracted and the looper comes straight back, as shown by the full line arrow in Figure 17, so that it picks loop Z', as illustrated in Figures 18 and 19. The cams 110 and 111 tighten up both loops at this time so that the thread is properly tensioned as the looper 30 carries the loop l up over the edges of the fabric and down onto the opposite side thereof and into position just below and centrally of the path of the needle 13 which is next caused to penetrate its edge of the fabric and repeat the operation. The seam structure shown in Figure 9 is not an accurate representation because the loops Z and Z are shown at the outside edges of the seam. This has been done for the sake of clearness but in the actual seam structure produced by the machine, the loops are disposed centrally of the seam structure due to the action of the tensioning cams 110 and 111.

To form a stitch in this manner, the needles 13 and 14 are oppositely disposed and are alternately actuated as will be understood from a comparison of Figures 12 and 13. In these ngures the needle 13 is shown down at the lower limit of its throw, after having punctured the edge of its fabric and is just about to return or retract to its uppermost or idle position. When the needle 13 is idle or at the upper limit of its throw, roller 13 will ride on the concentric portion of the cam 15. Upon the continued rotation of the cam shaft 17 and when the needle 13 is in its idle position, the needle 14 is oscillated. It will be seen from Figure 13 that complete oscillation is afforded the needle 13 by the portion of the cam located between points a and b, while a concentric portion c permits the needle 13 to remain in a state of rest. Similarly, the needle 14 is oscillated by the portion of the cam located between the points a' and b while the concentric portion c of the cam 16 permits the needle 14 to remain in a state of rest. In Figures 12 and 13 and also Figure 14 the cams are illustrated for the sake of simplicity and clearness as being single-surface cams but it is obvious that this cam design may be readily embodied in a box cam.

The looper motion incidental to the formation of the stitch or of the seam may be understood from the foregoing and from a consideration of Figures 14 to 19, inclusive. In casting off a loop the looper is moved in a curved path (exaggerated in dotted lines, Figure 17) under the influence of cams 55 and 69, the motion of the looper being a composition of the sliding motion produced by cam 69 and the rocking motion in a horizontal plane produced by cam 55. After the completion of this casting ofi operation the looper is moved in a substantially straight path shown by the full line arrow in Figure 17 and, as will be understood from a comparison of Figures l5 and 16, under the influence of an inclined portion d of the cam 55. Following the picking up of the needle loop by the looper, the looper is elevated above the edges of the fabric under the action of the cam 48; is then slid across the top edges of the fabric by the cam 69; is lowered by the cam 48 on the opposite side (the inside) of the fabric; is carried through a casting 01T and loop pickup operation on the inside of the fabric by cams 55 and 69; and is then elevated and carried back to the outside of the fabric by cams 48 and 69 when the cycle is repeated. The cams 48, 55 and 69 are appropriately shaped and designed to produce these looper motions. As will be seen from Figure 14, the cam 69 has a portion c of considerable throw to slide the looper out across the seam to the outside thereof, has a reversely inclined depression f to supply the sliding cornponents of the motion involved in the casting off operation on the outside of the seam, has an inwardly inclined portion g to effect the return sliding movement of the looper to the inside of the seam, and also has a reversely inclined projection It to supply the sliding components of the motion involved in the casting off operation on the inside of the seam. The action of the cam 55 in swinging the looper horizontally will be understood from Figures 3, 4, 15, 16 and 22 from which it will be seen that the surface 55 of the cam 55 inclines inwardly and outwardly and to the desired degree in each instance to produce the proper horizontal swinging movement or swinging components of the movement of the looper. Thus, in producing the casting off operation on the outside of the seam the roller 54 rides down the inclined surface i (Figure 22) while the roller 67 is riding down the inwardly inclined portion of the depressionf of the cam 69. The result is the movement of the looper to the right and inwardly toward the fabric, as viewed in Figure 17 thereby tending to free the outer strand of the loop Z. Just following this the roller 54 rides up theV inclined surface d of the cam 55 while the roller 67 is riding out or up the outwardly inclined portion of the depression f of the cam 69. The result of this coordinated action is the movement of the looper inwardly toward the fabric and to the left as viewed in Figure 17 to throw off or cast off the loop Z. Following this casting off operation the inclined surface d of the cam 55 functions as above described and causes the looper to pick up the loop Z. On the inside of the seam a similar operation is carried out under the influence of the projection It of cam 69 and surface i and d" of the cam 55. When the looper is traveling across the edges of the seam it is repositioned for the next casting off operation by inclined surfaces 7' and i of the cam 55.

The action of the cam 48 in raising and lowering or swinging the looper in a vertical plane will be obvious from the drawings, especially Figure i4 and in the foregoing description.

The intermittent feed is operated in timed relation to the action of the stitch forming mechanism so that the fabric is advanced a step after each stitch is formed. While either needle is penetrating the edges of the fabric the feed jaws and 8l are returning to their initial position where they are ready to grip the fabric and advance it a step before the other needle begins to penetrate.

Synchronized with the operation of the needles and looper is the tensioning mechanism constituted by the cams 110 and lll and operating as hereinabove set forth.

The invention claimed is:

l. A seaming machine consisting of a pair of needles, means for causing one needle to penetrate one edge of the fabric and the other needle to penetrate the other edge thereof, and a looper operating to carry the loop formed by a needle penetrating one edge of the fabric over the edges of the fabric and into the path of the other needle penetrating the other edge of the fabric.

2. A seaming machine comprising stitch forming mechanism consisting of oppositely disposed needles, means for alternately operating the needles to cause first one and then the other to penetrate opposed edges of the fabric respectively, and a three-motion looper cooperable with the loops formed by the needles and carrying the loop formed by one needle over the edges of the fabric and into the path of the loop formed by the other.

3. A seaming machine consisting of a pair of needles, means for causing one needle to penetrate one edge of the fabric and the other needle to penetrate the other edge thereof, and a looper operating to carry the loop formed by a needle penetrating one edge of 'the fabric over the edges of the fabric and into the path of the needle penetrating the other edge of the fabric, in combination with an uncurling attachment having means for spreading the edges of the fabric to be seamed to permit one needle to operate on one edge only and the other needle to operate on the other edge only.

4. A searning machine consisting of a pair of needles, means for causing one needle to penetrate one edge of the fabric and the other needle to penetrate the other edge thereof, and a looper operating to carry the loop formed by a needle penetrating one edge of the fabric over the edges of the fabric and into the path of the needle penetrating th'e other edge of the fabric, in combination with a tensioning cam mechanism cooperl able with the needle threads to tighten the thread after the formation of a stitch and during the carrying of a loop across the edges of the fabric and to loosen the thread when the looper takes it and when the thread is dropped olf the looper.

5. A seaming machine consisting of a pair of oppositely and alternately actuated needles, one penetrating one edge of the fabric and the other the other edge, means for carrying the loop formed by one needle over into the path of the other needle whereby to interlock the loops, in

combination with means for spreading apart the edges of the fabric at the sewing point and means for imparting a step by step feed to the fabric.

6. A seaming machine consisting of a pair of oppositely and alternately actuated needles, one penetrating one edge of the fabric and the other the other edge, means for carrying the loop formed by one needle over into the path of the other needle whereby to interlock the loops, in combination with means for spreading the edges of the fabric at the sewing point, means for imparting a step by step feed to the fabric, and synchronized tensioning mechanism to tighten the threads after the formation of a stitch and during the carrying of a loop across the edges of the 'fabric and to loosen the thread when it is taken by and cast off on the looper.

7. A seaming machine including stitch forming having an individual needle for pene-L trating and forming needle loops through each edge of the fabric, a looper for carrying the loop from one needle over the edges of the fabric and into the path of the other, means for spreading the edges of the fabric at the sewing point and a step by step feeding mechanism for the fabric.

8. A seaming machine including stitch forming mechanism having oppositely disposed alternately acting needles disposed to operate one on one edge and the other on the other edge of the fabric, a looper for carrying the loop formed by one needle over into the path of the other needle, means for supporting the looper for longitudinal sliding movement and for rocking movement in both vertical and horizontal planes, and cam means coacting with the looper for so moving it as to cause the looper to pick up the loop from each needle, carry it over the edges of the fabric into the path of the other needle, cast it off and pick up the loop of the other needle and repeat the cycle.

9. A seaming machine comprising a pair of oppositely disposed needles, cam means for oscillating rst one and then the other needle and for permitting one needle to remain in a state of rest while the other needle is oscillated and a three-motion looper operable to carry the loop of one needle over into the path of the other, in combination with means for spreading the` edges of the fabric at the sewing point.

l0. A scanning machine comprising a pair of oppositely disposed needles, cam means for oscillating rst one and then the other needle and for permitting one needle to remain in a state of rest while the other needle is oscillated, a threemotion looper operable to carry the loop of one needle over into the path of the other, in combination with means for spreading the edges of the fabric at the sewing point, and a step by step feed for the fabric.

11. A seaming machine comprising a pair of 'oppositely disposed needles, cam means for oscillating first one and then the other needle and for permitting one needle to remain in a state of rest while the other needle is oscillated, a three-motion looper operable to carry the loop of one needle over into the path of the other, in combination with means for spreading the edges of the fabric at the sewing point, a step by step feed for the fabric, and synchronized tensioning mechanism for tightening the thread after the formation of a stitch and during its travel across the edges of the fabric and to loosen the thread when the looper takes it and when it is cast off the looper.

12. Stitch forming mechanism of a seaming machine including a pair of oppositely and alternately acting needles one for each edge of the fabric, and a looper for carrying the loop from one needle over into the path of the other needle and having a hooked end terminating in an undercut bill, and means for moving said looper on either side of the fabric to cause it to cast off 'a loop onto the needle and about the needle loop "thereof, then to pick up the needle loop just vformed and carry it up from and into the path of the needle loop next formed.

13. In combination, a frame, stitch forming mechanism, a four-motion step feed mechanism, a longitudinally and laterally movable looper and actuating cams and connections, and an uncurling device located before the sewing point and adapted to hold the goods to be united apart at the sewing point.

14. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism having a needle, of an edge-preparing device comprising dual edge-uncurling nngers located one on each side of a super-thick dividing plate located between same and adapted to separate the two edges to be united, so that the needle may function on the inside of said separated edges.

15. In combination, a stitch-forming mechanism comprising a pair of alternately acting reciprocatory needles acting obliquely towards each other and their lines of motion intersecting and crossing at the feed line, at an angle with the horizontal plane, an intermittent feed mechanism, an intermittently acting looper hook adapted to carry the thread of one needle backwardly over and across the seam, into position to be penetrated by the next succeeding movement of the opposite needle, and a stationary stitch-receiving tongue or free end point located above the sewing point and adapted to engage the stitches formed about same between sewing intervals.

16. The combination with the stitch-forming mechanism having needles and the feeding mechanism, of a duel edge-preparing device having a super-thick dividing member operating to hold the goods separated at the sewing point to allow the needles to puncture the spaced-apart edges on their inner or separated surfaces so as to allow the seam to open out fiat after being united.

17. The process of uniting the edges of fabric, comprising holding the right and left members of the seam in vertical parallel planes separated at the sewing point, passing a loop of needle thread over the left hand member and through the right hand member. to the outside of the seam, bringing said loop backward over and across the line of separation to the outside of the left hand member, penetrating and retaining said brought-over loop by a loop of thread brought over the right side and penetrated through the left side, and carrying said second loop back across the seam into position to repeat the cycle.

18. The process of uniting the edges of fabric, consisting of disposing a right and left fabricedge in parallel planes and slightly separated at the sewing point, passing a loop of rst thread through the left hand member from the right hand side, returning said first loop backwardly and over both members to the right hand side of the right hand member, passing a loop of second thread through the right hand member from the left side and through the bight of the brought-over first loop, returning said second or puncturing loop backwardly and over both members to the left side of said left member, puncturing said loop of second thread by a second loop of first thread from the right side and repeating the cycle to the end of the seam.

19. The process of uniting the edges of fabric consisting of disposing a right and left fabricedge in parallel planes and slightly separated at the sewing point, passing a loop of first thread through the left hand member from the right hand side, feeding the fabric members a stitch interval, returning said first loop backwardly and over both members to the right hand side of the right hand member, passing a loop of second thread through the right hand member from the left side and through the bight of the broughtover first loop, feeding the fabric members a stitch interval, returning said second or puncturing loop backwardly and over` both members to the left side of said left member, puncturing the said loop of second thread by a second loop of first thread from the right side, and repeating the cycle to the end of the seam.

20. A seam for uniting the edges of a fabric consisting of two threads each thread being passed from the inside to the outside of one edge only of the fabric and being formed on the outside of the fabric with loops, the loops of one thread being passed through the loops of the other thread, the loops of the saine thread being connected by a single strand or thickness of the thread.

21. In a seaming machine having stitch forining mechanism, a thread-carrying looper and an intermittent feed mechanism, an uncurling device comprising an intermediate member and outer uncurling plates, said outer uncurling plates being provided with extensions projecting in the line of feed and toward the stitch forming mechanism to maintain the edges of the fabric in position, said uncurling device being out away above said extensions to allow for the passage laterally of the thread-carrying looper from one side of the seam to the other.

HERBERT E. HAWES. 

